Wrench.



N0- 834,807. PATENTED OCT. 30,1906. H. F. HOPFMANIL.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 9,1 906.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

WRENCHL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30. 1906.

Animation filed April 9, 1906. 'Serial No. 810,673-

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY F. HOFFMANN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Stapleton, in the county of Richmond and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches; and I-dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.ofthe invention, such as" will enable othersskilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates more particularly to that class of wrenchescommonly known as pipe-wrenches, wherein one jaw is-stationary, being anintegral part of the handle, and the other jaw movable.

The principal object of the invention is to improve generally this classof wrenches, but more especially to improve the movable jaw with a viewof rendering it capable of a quick and ready adjustment.

A further object of the invention is to construct and arrange theseveral parts so as to produce a strong and durable im lernent, one thatwill firmly grasp and hol any object within its rangeof adjustment.

Other objects will become apparent upon a full disclosure of theinvention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved wrench;Fig. 2, a to view; Fig. 3, a side elevation with one of the side linksremoved, and Fig. 4 a perspective view of the toothed pawl.

Referring to the several views, the numeral 1 indicates the stationaryjaw, which is integral with the handle 2, and 3 the movable jaw, whichis integral with the shank 4. The adjacent faces of the res ective jawsare provided with peculiarly-slihped grippingsurfaces, the face of thestationary jaw being provided with upwardly and inwardly inclined teeth5, transversely arranged, separated by. inwardly extending horizontalnotches or kerfs 6, and the face of the movable jaw with downwardly andinwardly inclined teeth 7, also transversely arranged, separated bysimilar notches or'kerfs 8. By means of these peculiarly-shapedgrippingsurfaces a firm and secure grip on a pipe or other object may beobtained.

One of the principal objects to be attained by separating the teeth bythe kerfs is to permit of a ready and accurate grinding or dressing upof the teeth when the gripping-points become dull or worn off, and another object is toprevent the clogging of the teeth by the cured theretoby a bolt 13.

accumulation of dirt, &c. Besides, the kerfs allow for a widerseparation of the points of contact of the teeth, so that in handlingpipes there is less liability to flatten them, as,

is the case where the teeth are of the ratchet form or type. Y Y IPivoted to each side of the stationary aw, by means of a bolt 9, is aplate-10,'and between the plates the movable jaw is adapted to beadjusted. The upper edge of the'shank of the movable jaw is providedwith transverse ratchet-teeth 11, which are adapted to be engaged by atoothed block 12, interposed between thefree ends of the plates 10 andse- The toothed block is held immovably by a pin 14, and the free end ofthe shank of the movable jaw is provided with a pin 15, which preventssaid jaw becoming accidentally disengaged from its position between theplates.

The toothed block is normally held in engagement with the ratchet-teethon the movable aw by the pressure exerted by a spring 16, preferably aleaf-spring, which has one end secured to the upper part or edge of thehandle and the other end resting against a pin 17, which passes throughthe plates 10.

V The upper edge of the stationary jaw from approximately the center isinclined or beve ed downwardly in opposite directions to providebearing-surfaces 18 and 19, on which the movable jaw may be rocked so asto permit the quick and ready adjustment of said jaw, as hereinaftermentioned, and to allow the jaw to resume its normal position. Thebearing-surface 19 permits the adjustment of the movable jaw, andbearing-surface 18 permits said jaw to resume its normal position withthe toothed block in engagement with the ratchet-teeth on the shank ofthe movable aw, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 3. To adjust themovable jaw, it is only necessaryto move the connected plates backagainst the pressure of the spring, as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 3,which operation disengages the toothed block from the teeth in the shankof the movable jaw and sets said jaw free to be moved in eitherdirection. The gripped object maybe readilyreleased by pressing downupon the free end of the movable jaw-shank.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wrench, the combination with a stationary jaw, and a movable jawhaving ratchet-teeth, of side plates pivoted to the stationary jaw andhaving a toothed block rigidly secured between their free ends, and aspring arranged toexert a pressure against the pivoted plates, to movethe toothed block into engagement with the movable jaw.

2. In a wrench, the combination with a stationary jaw and a movable jaw,the sta' tionary jaw being provided with oppositely inclinedbearing-surfaces upon which the movable jaw is adapted to be rocked, toallow for adjustment, and the movable jaw with ratchet-teeth upon itsupper edge, of springpressed plates pivoted to the stationary jaw, and atoothed block rigidly secured between the free ends of the plates andadapted to engage the ratchet-teeth of the movable jaw, said platesbeing adapted to be rocked to cause the engagement of the toothed blockwith the movable jaw.

3. In a wrench, the combination with a stationary aw having inclinedgripping teeth, separated by horizontal kerfs, of a movable jaw havinggri ping-teeth, said teeth being corresponding y inclined to those ofthe stationary jaw and separated by horizontal kerfs, and spring-pressedplates pivoted to the stationary jaw, and through whrdch the movable jawis adapted to be operate 4. In a wrench, the combination with astationary jaw having inclined grippingteeth, separated by horizontalkerfs, of a ratcheted jaw havin gripping-teeth, said teeth beingcorrespondingly inclined to those of the stationary jaw and separated byhorizontal kerfs, a spring-pressed plate pivoted to the stationary jaw,and through which the ratcheted jaw is adapted to be moved to anydesired position, and a toothed block arranged in the outer end of theyoke to engage said ratcheted jaw.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY F. I-IOFFMANN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM G. WILsoN, CHARLES ALPHA MORGAN.

